Olaf Sztaba

28

There is no shortage of stunning places in North America and Kasia and I have hunted out many fantastic landscapes. Despite our travels, no other landscape has made such a profound visual and emotional impact on us as Death Valley. It is a visual Mecca for those who find beauty in remote, strange and rare places. Death Valley is in California’s Mojave Desert. It is the lowest, driest and hottest place in North America. Death Valley holds the highest air temperature ever recorded on earth: 56.7 C. While planning our trip, Death Valley was last on our list (after the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Route 66 and San Francisco). The only reason for that was efficiency and logistics. Since we had never visited Death Valley before, our intention was to soak up the atmosphere and gaze at the landscape. Given that we entered the Death Valley National Park from the east, we stopped by Rhyolite Ghost Town……..

Fuji X100T

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11

During our recent photography trip south of the border, Monument Valley was not even on our itinerary. One morning we finished photographing the Grand Canyon and planned to head back. However, we knew that Monument Valley – a place that we have been always fascinated with – was only four hours away. We were not sure whether to go there since we would have only one or two hours before it got dark. We are glad we did. Indeed, it is a magical place. When approaching the Navajo Nation Reservation you notice the cluster of huge sandstone buttes, the largest as high as 1,000 ft (300m) above the valley floor. The scenery is so different from what we have ever seen that you have the impression of visiting a different planet. It should be no surprise that a place of such a beauty is one of the most photographed locations in the United States. As a result, it is difficult (especially in two hours) to capture the wonderful imagery. Regardless, equipped with the Fuji X100T and Fuji X-T1 paired with XF 14mm F2.8 and XF 50-140 F2.8 we thoroughly enjoyed photographing Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii (Navajo: The Valley Of The Rocks)……

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 14mm F2.8

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17

What a trip it was! We covered 7700 kilometres, ventured into the most incredible landscapes in the world and met fascinating people.

We travelled with Fuji X-T1, XF 14mm F2.8, a brand new XF 50-140mm F2.8 OIS and Fuji X100T. We have a lot of material for you, which we have only just started to review. Over the next few weeks we will be sharing with you imagery from this trip including many photos taken with the XF 50-140mm F2.8 along with more thoughts about this lens. We are also working on a full review of the Fuji X100T. Here are some teaser images…..

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 14mm F2.8

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Fujifilm Fujinon XF50-140mm F2.8

Do you love my work and want to support me? If you’re planning on buying camera gear, you can check out above-noted links. Prices remain the same for you, but a small percentage of your purchase value is valued back to me. Thank you!

02

When a package from Fujifilm Canada with the XF 50-140 OIS lens arrived on my doorstep, I got unusually excited. I couldn’t wait to start shooting. How strange, I thought. After all, I have never been a fan of zoom lenses; I mostly shoot with primes and the line of XF prime glasses fills my camera bag leaving no space for zooms. But somehow, this new, large, heavy lens had captured my attention since the first day it was announced. There are three main reasons: First, we have said many times on this blog that the right way for any company to build a photographic system from the ground up is to start with quality lenses. Amateur photographers usually get excited about cameras while lenses tickle the professionals (in the end, great glass will attract pros and ultimately sell cameras). In fact, the prime reason we started shooting Fuji X-series exclusively was the superb quality of the XF lenses. The XF 14mm F2.8, XF 35mm F1.4 and XF 56mm F1.2 are in our bag and they are some of the best lenses we have ever used. Therefore, XF 50-140 F2.8 OIS WR – the first really professional zoom from Fuji immediately had us on alert……

Fujifilm Fujinon XF50-140mm F2.8

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23

Along with the rise of Instagram and iPhone photography, there has been a flood of filters and film simulations. Unfortunately, the majority of these tools are formulated very poorly and the results can be quite grotesque. When I heard that Fujifilm is working on a new film simulation, Classic Chrome, I was intrigued. After all, Fuji has been known for its expertise in film and the JPEGs coming out of the X-series cameras have been one of the best in the industry. The latest Fuji X100T and Fuji X-T1 Graphite came with Classic Chrome. Some photographers who got their hands on these cameras posted some photos bearing the Classic Chrome look and we really liked what we saw. Those who practise street, documentary photography or fine art photography should be very pleased with this modern take on the Kodachrome-like look. The colours are subtle and slightly suppressed but pleasing and natural to the eye. Although we haven’t had a chance to shoot with the Fuji X100T or Graphite X-T1, the recent Lightroom 5.7 update offers an opportunity to paint with light – Classic Chrome style. We couldn’t resist applying this new colour palette to some chosen photos…..

Fuji X-T1

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02

British Columbia has a lot to offer – stunning scenery, abundant wildlife, a high quality of life and friendly people. Despite its many attributes, it wasn’t natural beauty and certainly not the quality of life that brought early settlers to this part of this world. It was gold! Kasia and I recently went on a trip to the Cariboo region, driving along Highway 97, also known as the Gold Rush Trail. Like the early miners, we were there for adventure and mining for … great imagery. We travelled equipped with the Fuji X-T1 paired with the XF 14mm F2.8, XF 56mm F1.2 and X100S. The trip took us from Vancouver to Hope, small but charming Ashcroft and Cache Creek. From there we drove north along Highway 97 through Clinton, 70 Mile House, 100 Mile House and 150 Mile House. Then we travelled further north to Williams Lake and Quesnel, from which we headed east toward the funky town of Wells and historic Barkerville…..

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 14mm F2.8

Do you love my work and want to support me? If you’re planning on buying camera gear, you can check out above-noted links. Prices remain the same for you, but a small percentage of your purchase value is valued back to me. Thank you!

06

There are more similarities between photographing landscapes and people than you think. When working with people, a photographer must achieve a certain level of connection and trust that allows them to relax and open up emotionally and visually. On many levels, a similar dynamics plays out when photographing landscapes. You must “feel” the place, connect with it and give it time to reveal itself to you. So often I see photographers running around stunning landscapes fixated on a few photographed-to-death spots and rushing from one location to another. And I know what I am talking about – I have done it myself! Slow down, look around and don’t fixate on the most popular spots. “Be there” before you take out your camera. Very often you will notice different elements and visuals, but be warned – you may come back from your trip with images you didn’t plan to take. It may well be the best imagery you have ever created…….

17

One of my favourite visual exercises is to venture out with the Fuji X100S. I usually do it on the weekends and in the early morning and it’s not only for the good light. You would be surprised how public spaces change when deserted. The lack of crowds and noise allows you to concentrate on the art of seeing, at least for me. Why the Fuji X100S? We have written extensively about this gem of a camera and why, in our view, it is still the best digital camera on the market. The greatest appeal lies in its size, simplicity and fixed lens. I walk around looking innocent and people don’t even notice when I take photographs. Many view me as a non-threatening tourist with his little point-and-shoot. The fixed lens, dedicated knobs and lack of camera bags let me focus on theme, light and composition! You may say that it is not a good idea to limit yourself but the longer I’ve been taking photographs, the more I think that constraint is one of the most important pillars of photography……

26

The three-week hiatus in our blog postings was not the result of World Cup fever or some R&R. Quite the opposite! We went away for a photo trip to the spectacular Canadian Rockies and we worked hard (waking up at 3:30 AM everyday!) to get you the best imagery possible. We have a lot of material to share with you – including our latest thoughts about gear and processing. While we go through our work here are some teaser images shot with the Fuji X-T1 paired with the XF 14mm F2.8, XF 56mm F1.2 and Fuji X100S. Stay tuned……..

Fuji X-Pro Curation

Aspects of Digital Photography focusing on the Fuji X-Pro1/X-Pro2, X-T1, X-E1/E2 and X100S/T - photographer, reviews, samples and more. The most comprehensive Collection on Fuji X-Pro1 articles, reviews and news on the Web! View also a collective of photographers from around the world shooting almost exclusively with the Fujifilm X-Pro1, X-T1, X-E1/E2 and the X100S/T.